Lorain Parks and Recreation Department; Lorain, Ohio
Posted by: 
boatchick
N 41° 27.641 W 082° 10.497
17T E 401875 N 4590565
For 53 years, the Carnegie Library at Streator Park served as the main branch of the Lorain Public Library system.
Waymark Code: WM38KC
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 02/26/2008
Views: 51
The earliest library association in Lorain dates back to 1883, when a short-lived subscription library was formed. This venture failed due to low circulation, and not until the turn of the century was a more successful library association formed. In 1901, a local women's literary society and men's reading room merged to form the Lorain Public Library Association. This group then petitioned Andrew Carnegie to secure a grant for a public library building.
The Carnegie Foundation approved the grant on the condition that the city provide a site for the building as well as provide revenue for upkeep of the library. City Council approved a tax levy for the library and approved a location in the Charleston neighborhood for the building. This location was the northeast corner of Streator Park, at the modern-day intersection of 10th Street and Streator Place. The cornerstone was laid in 1903, and the library was opened in May 1904.
The Lorain Carnegie building is a two-story building of a Greek cross design. It is built of red brick with limestone accents, including a stone cornice and frieze. (The cornice is the ledge around the top of the building, and the frieze is the section below the cornice.) Many of the windows have stained-glass panes.
The Lorain library collection was becoming too large for the building by 1940. Expansion was considered but instead, in 1957, a new main library was built on 6th Street. The Carnegie building was used as a civil defense shelter and was considered for use as City Hall. Finally, after a 1970 renovation, the building was put into use as the offices of the Lorain Parks and Recreation Department.
Address of Library Building:
10th Street at Streator Place
Lorain, Ohio USA
44052
Current Use of Building: Parks department offices
Year Built (optional): 1903
Website about building: [Web Link]
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